The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-04-28
TALMAGE'S WAY.
aG11AN6OUs IREACHER AZ HE AP-
FEARS IN HIS PULPIT.

.
u1YANOUs rREACHER AZ HE AP-
PEARS IN HIS PULPIT.
- 1faA ~ Ne Looks and Acts when de-
nveslng His ssrmons-His style IL Un-
3 ssavsntioaal, nut Not sensational-Con
s oeegational Singing Led BY . Cornetist.
NEw YoRK, April ee-Whoever goes to
Talmage's Brooklyn Tabernacle as to
circus, expecting to be diverted by the an
tics Of . clown, is bound to be dissp-
pointed. But the fact that anticipation
b mot to be realized does not come to the
visitor at first. The platform is not fur
nished with any pulpit, and is broad like a
stage. A table, two small stands and a
chair, not at all ecclesiastical in shape,
are placed at the back, and the floor is
covered with dark carpet. The bright
colored front of an enormous organ rises
q the rear like painted back drop of
stage scene, and without key-boards in
the usual place. The organist sits in the
position of an orchestra leader, down be-
fore the platform, on the edge of which
rests his music rack. I found all these
things in perfect harmony with my pre-
conceived notions last Sunday morning.
Nothing but foot-lights were lack
ing. Therefore, when Talmsge sud-
denly stepped out on the stage
through q door, which had no ap-
pearance Of door, but was like the ia
miliar secret panel of melodrama, and
the organ gave forth such tremulous
sound as is the accompaniment of the
theatrical hero's entrance, said to my
self, "Now we'll get the sensational Tai
mage of the comic journals" The man
who thus strangely popped into view did
not 60 into contortions, nor indulge in
any gymnastic exercises. He simply
took seat beside the table, without a
flip-hap, and began to turn the pages of
hymn-book. l did not at the moment
feel the disappointment, because my at
tention was drawn away by thunder of
melody from the organ. A man with a
cornet in one hand mounted a pedestal
about foot lower than the edge of the
platform, and with the other hand de-
scribed flourish in the air, like the con-
ductor of an oratorio chorus. The
congregation stood up and sang
Praise God, from whom all bless
ings f1ow." There was no choir.
Then Talmage arose and walked down
toward the place for the foot-lights. His
hands were clasped on level with his
lowest vest button, his head was inclined
forward, and he took long strides, with
dragging feet, after the manner of ira
gedian. "Aha," I inwardly remarked,
now we're going to have some gro
tesqueness," and leaned back in my seat
to be amused. But what followed was
only two-minute prayer, uttered rapidly
and without gesture. Then he read a
chapter of Scripture, interpolating ex-
planatory and deductory comments.
While reading he wore eyeglasses, and
while commenting he held them between
q thumb and forefinger. In personal ap-
pearance he is not much handsomer
than the familiar caricatures, but he has
none of their comical qualities. His
mouth, like his church, is bigger than
that of any other American clergyman.
Perhaps it has been stretched by loud
speaking, for he is compelled to use all
his voice in order to be heard all over the
house. His hair is straight and reaches
70 his coat collar behind, but leaves him
bareheaded in front nearly to the crown
His cheeks bear side-whiskers. The
whole face is mobile and expressive, but
the irregular features are by no means
grotesque. When he smiles you know
It, but the smile is not low comedians s
grin. There was nothing clerical or
careful in his dress. He wore black
frockcoat unbuttoned, and black vest
and trousers. They had the cut of a
good business suit, and fitted his straight,
spare figure well. His shirt collar was
inconspicuously turned down, and his
necktie was black.
After expounding the chapter in a rat
fashioned style-repeating the number
and the first couplet-and sat down.
There had been just dash enough in what
he did to keep up my hope for something
lively, possibly funny, when he got to
preaching. Again my eyes were drawn
to the cornet player, who stood up on
his pedestal, placed music-stand before
him, repeated the professional wave of
( tho aand, and blew melodious keynote.
The singing over, Talmage prayed once
more. This was formal petition for q
considerable variety of blessings. He
stood quietly, with his heels together, his
toes out, one hand under his coat-tails
the other on his breast, and his head
slightly tipped back. He prayed six
minutes.
AT twenty minutes past eleven O'Clock
be came forward to deliver his sermon
The delivery was plain and sensible My
last faint hope of diversion gradually
died out as listened. He was not even
awkward nor grotesquely demonstrative
How many. speakers could gracefully
occupy platform without a desk OF
anything else to put their hands on
Talmage did it, and his hands were never
for an instant in the way. His gestures
were at times vigorous, but were al
ways appropriate and spontaneous. He
walked to and fro with unconventiona
freedom, and once gave stamp. for EN-
phasis; but he did not dance about, mol
Hing his arms, nor in any way make fiz
zing fireworks of himself. His voice was
strong and loud, and he kept it at a high
key, as the size of the auditorium re.
Auired; but there was NO perceptible
straining after effect He did not use &C
much Is scrap of paper for reference
except when he read extracts from printed
books. This discarding of notes indicated
very careful preparation and wonderful
memory, for he was never hesitant Hi
style, however, was wholly unstudied
His tones sometimes had Yankee twang
His language, however, except for thu